Which type of fat increases HDL? Unpacking Healthy Choices for Heart Health

November 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Recent studies have consistently shown that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats is a key strategy for improving your overall cholesterol profile. So, which type of fat increases HDL cholesterol and promotes better cardiovascular wellness? The answer lies in focusing on specific healthy, unsaturated fats and limiting their less-healthy counterparts.

Quick Summary

Healthy unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, can help increase beneficial HDL cholesterol levels and support overall heart health. Limiting saturated and trans fats is also crucial.

Key Points

Embrace Unsaturated Fats: Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are the types of fat that can help increase your HDL ('good') cholesterol.
Choose Monounsaturated Sources: Incorporate olive oil, avocados, and various nuts like almonds and cashews into your diet for heart-protective monounsaturated fats.
Prioritize Polyunsaturated Fats: Seek out polyunsaturated fats from sources such as fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds for added heart benefits, especially omega-3s.
Limit Saturated and Trans Fats: Reduce your intake of saturated fats from fatty meats and dairy, and completely avoid artificial trans fats, as they negatively impact your HDL levels.
Combine with Lifestyle Changes: For best results, pair healthy fat consumption with other lifestyle factors like regular exercise, weight management, and avoiding smoking.
Maintain a Healthy Balance: A heart-healthy diet focuses on replacing bad fats with good ones, rather than simply increasing fat intake.

The Role of HDL: Understanding the "Good" Cholesterol

High-density lipoprotein (HDL), often referred to as “good” cholesterol, plays a crucial role in maintaining cardiovascular health. Its primary function is to act as a scavenger, collecting excess cholesterol from the arteries and transporting it back to the liver for removal from the body. This process, known as reverse cholesterol transport, helps prevent the buildup of plaque that can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease. While maintaining healthy HDL levels is vital, it's equally important to manage overall fat intake by replacing unhealthy fats with beneficial ones.

Monounsaturated Fats: Your Heart's Best Friend

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are a type of healthy, unsaturated fat that is liquid at room temperature and solidifies when chilled. Found predominantly in plant-based foods, MUFAs are well-regarded for their ability to help maintain or even raise good HDL cholesterol levels while lowering harmful LDL cholesterol. This favorable effect on the cholesterol ratio makes them a cornerstone of heart-healthy diets, like the Mediterranean diet.

Rich sources of monounsaturated fats include:

Olive oil: Especially extra-virgin olive oil, a primary source of MUFAs in Mediterranean diets.
Avocados: A creamy and versatile fruit packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
Nuts: Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, and pecans are excellent sources.
Seeds: Pumpkin and sesame seeds contain high concentrations of MUFAs.
Nut butters: Peanut butter and other nut butters made from MUFA-rich nuts are good options.

Polyunsaturated Fats: Essential for a Healthy Heart

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) are another class of unsaturated fats that are also liquid at room temperature. They are considered essential fats because the body cannot produce them on its own, meaning they must be obtained from food. PUFAs can also help lower LDL cholesterol and can contribute to increasing HDL levels. There are two main types of PUFAs: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s are renowned for their anti-inflammatory properties and significant benefits for heart health. While some studies show only a modest increase in HDL, they are vital for improving the overall lipid profile.

Excellent sources of omega-3s include:

Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, and albacore tuna are rich in EPA and DHA.
Flaxseeds: A fantastic plant-based source of omega-3s, but they must be ground for the body to absorb the nutrients.
Chia seeds: Another plant-based source of omega-3s and fiber.
Walnuts: These nuts offer a good amount of omega-3s.
Soybeans: Including edamame and tofu.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

While most people get sufficient omega-6s in their diet, including sources like vegetable oils and nuts is important for a balanced intake.

Sources of omega-6s include:

Vegetable oils: Corn, sunflower, and soybean oils.
Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, and cashews.

Fats to Avoid: The Negative Impact on HDL

Not all fats are created equal when it comes to cholesterol. Saturated and trans fats are the two types that negatively affect cholesterol levels, making it crucial to limit their consumption.

Saturated Fats

Found primarily in animal products and some tropical oils, saturated fats raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and have been shown to have an unfavorable effect on the HDL-to-LDL ratio.

Sources of saturated fats to limit include:

Fatty cuts of meat and processed meat products.
Butter, lard, and cheese.
Coconut and palm oils.

Trans Fats

Trans fats, particularly artificially produced partially hydrogenated oils, are the worst for cholesterol. They not only raise LDL but also actively lower beneficial HDL.

Sources of trans fats to avoid include:

Many fried and fast foods.
Certain commercially baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, and pastries.
Stick margarine and some processed snacks.

Comparison of Dietary Fats and Their Effect on HDL


Feature	Unsaturated Fats (MUFA & PUFA)	Saturated Fats	Trans Fats
Effect on HDL	Can increase HDL levels and improve HDL-to-LDL ratio	Effects on HDL are mixed; often overshadowed by LDL increase	Actively lowers HDL levels
Effect on LDL	Primarily decreases LDL levels	Primarily increases LDL levels	Increases LDL levels
Typical State	Liquid at room temperature	Solid at room temperature	Solid at room temperature (often due to hydrogenation)
Primary Sources	Olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish	Fatty meats, butter, cheese, coconut oil	Processed and fried foods, certain baked goods
Health Impact	Beneficial for cardiovascular health	Increases risk of heart disease	Significantly increases risk of heart disease and stroke

A Holistic Approach to Increasing HDL

While consuming the right types of fat is a crucial step, a comprehensive approach to raising HDL levels involves other key lifestyle factors as well:

Regular Exercise: Consistent physical activity is one of the most effective ways to boost your HDL levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise most days of the week.
Maintain a Healthy Weight: Losing excess weight, especially fat around the waist, can positively influence your HDL levels.
Quit Smoking: Smoking is known to lower HDL levels, so cessation is one of the best things you can do for your heart.
Limit Alcohol: While some moderate alcohol intake has been suggested to have a minimal effect on HDL, excessive consumption can lead to weight gain and lower HDL.

For more detailed dietary guidance, the American Heart Association offers extensive resources on healthy eating for heart health.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Healthy Fats

In summary, the key to influencing your HDL cholesterol through diet lies in prioritizing unsaturated fats, including both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated varieties. By making conscious choices to replace saturated and trans fats with healthier options like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, you can significantly improve your cholesterol profile and reduce your risk of heart disease. Combining these dietary changes with regular exercise and other healthy lifestyle habits offers the most effective strategy for raising your HDL and supporting long-term heart health. Remember, it's the quality of your fat intake that makes all the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Foods rich in monounsaturated fats include olive oil, avocados, olives, almonds, cashews, and pecans. These can help maintain or raise your HDL cholesterol levels when used in place of unhealthy fats.

Yes, omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat found in fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds, have been shown to help increase HDL cholesterol levels.

To prevent low HDL levels, you should avoid or limit saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are found in fatty meats, butter, and cheese, while trans fats are often in fried foods and processed baked goods.

Yes, olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fat, is very beneficial for cholesterol. Studies have found that consuming extra-virgin olive oil can significantly improve HDL levels and reduce heart disease risk.

Absolutely. Regular exercise is a highly effective way to raise HDL cholesterol. Combining a heart-healthy diet with at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise most days can provide significant benefits.

Many nuts are excellent sources of healthy unsaturated fats that can help increase HDL. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pecans are particularly beneficial due to their high content of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Trans fats are particularly damaging because they not only raise harmful LDL cholesterol but also lower beneficial HDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease.